Danny!
Encyclopedia
Danny!, also known as D. Swain (born August 18, 1983 in Killeen, Texas
), is an American rap performer
and record producer
from Columbia, South Carolina
, a former student of the Savannah College of Art & Design and, previously, a recording artist for Definitive Jux
Records. L.A. Weekly has called Danny! "the best new artist that Def Jux has signed". Garnering praise—and fielding minor criticism—for being an atypical rapper relying on sampled tracks, Danny! released five self-produced studio albums, three instrumental albums and even a greatest hits
compilation prior to his affiliation with Def Jux. He is often seen wearing his trademark oxford shirt and pinstriped necktie
, a fashion style he adopted during high school.
Danny! is most notable for his critically acclaimed self-released albums Charm
and And I Love H.E.R.
, the latter named by ABC News
as one of the best 50 albums of 2008. 2010's Where Is Danny?
, despite internet leakage that hindered sales, has received universal acclaim for its cartoonish lyrical content and "lo-fi" production; in press coverage prior to its release Spin
revealed that the record would be less of a departure from Danny!'s musical direction but more of a return to original form, sounding "[as] over-the-top as The Slim Shady LP
a decade ago". Danny! is currently signed to Interscope Records
after being upstreamed from a six-month-long development deal
.
, South Carolina
in the late 90s
. He attended Richland Northeast High School
and began pursuing music as a hobby during his sophomore year. Shortly after selling his first beat at age 17, Danny! began to take producing music more seriously. He started penning his own lyrics—after initially being reluctant to rap—and eventually recorded makeshift songs primarily as a showcase for his production. Early Danny! songs mimicked rapper Eminem
's multi-syllabic shock lyrics; Danny! has openly admitted to copying Eminem's flow early on.
, a liberal arts college located in Orangeburg, South Carolina
, and enrolled in the college's fledgling "Call Me Mister" program. While at Claflin, Danny! began to experiment with sampling, gradually straying from keyboard-based production. Danny! has stated that hearing a demo version of Freeway
's "What We Do (Is Wrong)" for the very first time was the definitive point in which he decided to incorporate samples into his production.
A campus-wide grade-changing scandal halted the production of Danny!'s self-produced debut album and forced him to leave Claflin University in November 2003. Danny! was accused of orchestrating a scheme in which 300+ students' grades had been altered in exchange for money
, and was expelled from the university.
(formerly known as The Danny Swain LP), in late 2004. The record's content would become overshadowed not by Danny!'s dubious past, but by critics who panned the effort as an amateur version of Kanye West
's own debut album, The College Dropout
. Critics felt Danny!'s style of production at the time, which heavily utilized pitch-altered vocal samples, was far too similar to West's. Artists in the Columbia area ridiculed Danny! and refused to continue to work with him, which Danny! would allude to in much of his later work.
accordingly; it was here that he began to work on his second project, F.O.O.D.
Highly bothered by the reception to The College Kicked-Out, he spent much of F.O.O.D. verbally attacking his detractors. Otherwise decent songs on the LP were overshadowed by the out-of-place, retaliatory tracks. Nevertheless, Danny! began to develop a moderate following—albeit primarily on the internet
—and fans began to praise him for his production efforts, usage of satire and, at times, humor that ranged from quirky to self-deprecating.
, a concept album in which he has credited the song "Poor Charlotte" from The Miracles
' City of Angels
record as his inspiration. The album was notable for featuring an underlying theme of escapism
, narrating the story of a musician who wants to achieve success through music and be reprieved of the day-to-day routine in his hometown. The protagonist, which is believed to be Danny! himself, dreams that he actually becomes famous and wealthy, only to realize towards the album's closing that perhaps fame wasn't meant for everybody, particularly him. The album ends with the musician awakening from his dream, only to be approached by a label executive shortly afterwards. Lauded by a variety of music critics, Charm went on to become Danny!'s biggest success and, ironically, help make the entire premise of the album come true in real life.
Charm and selected tracks from the album made their way onto the shortlist for the Grammy Awards of 2007
, making Danny! the first hip-hop artist from South Carolina to achieve such a feat.
, abroad. A sequel, Dream, Fulfilled
, was also released overseas in April of the following year. Both albums, which Danny! has jokingly referred to as "sensationalized beat tapes", are extremely rare; only a small number of copies exist stateside and are thus highly sought after in the US
. Rumors of a third and final installment to complete the trilogy—Dream, Extinguished
—swirled for months before Danny! actually confirmed its release in the wake of And I Love H.E.R.
being delayed. However, Dream, Extinguished was abruptly withdrawn the day before its release; in June 2009, more than a year-and-a-half later, the album was finally released.
Records by proxy. The record deal "forced" him out of "retirement" to record an album for the Def Jux label and release a 12" single
-- to be accompanied by a music video
slated for an exclusive premiere on mtvU
-- with fellow Jukie Mr. Lif
.
The project would be mysteriously delayed for several years before a single, titled "Just Friends
", was finally released by Definitive Jux in early 2009. Despite a glaring absence of promotion from the label the single managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
. In the years preceding "Just Friends"'s release, Danny! significantly increased his musical output and self-released a staggering six records in a year-and-a-half span, of which only two were actual studio albums (Danny Is Dead
and And I Love H.E.R.
). Danny! would continue to gain acclaim on his own merits, appearing on URB Magazine's website as part of their "Next 1000" campaign, as well as features from Pitchfork Media
, Okayplayer
, Allmusic, Complex Magazine, VIBE
, Rolling Stone
, Scratch Magazine
, Creative Loafing, IGN
, XXL Magazine
, BBC News
, Northern Express Weekly, Popmatters
, The Fader
, Blender
, mtvU
, Billboard, Spin
, L.A. Weekly and the Village Voice. The self-promotional DIY approach has since been mimicked by other underground rappers such as Mickey Factz, Kid Cudi
and Charles Hamilton
, albeit slightly more successfully.
in early 2010. Interscope Records would later sign the artist and quietly release the album near the middle of the following year.
Instrumental albums
Compilations
EPs
Singles
Killeen, Texas
Killeen is a city in Bell County, Texas, The United States. The population was 86,911 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, Killeen had 119,510 people. In 2010 Killeen's population shot to 127,921...
), is an American rap performer
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
from Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, a former student of the Savannah College of Art & Design and, previously, a recording artist for Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux
Definitive Jux is an independent record label based in New York City, United States. It was co-founded in 1999 by Jaime Meline and Amaechi Uzoigwe. The label was initially known simply as Def Jux, but in 2001, popular hip hop label Def Jam Recordings sued Def Jux over the name similarity...
Records. L.A. Weekly has called Danny! "the best new artist that Def Jux has signed". Garnering praise—and fielding minor criticism—for being an atypical rapper relying on sampled tracks, Danny! released five self-produced studio albums, three instrumental albums and even a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation prior to his affiliation with Def Jux. He is often seen wearing his trademark oxford shirt and pinstriped necktie
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
, a fashion style he adopted during high school.
Danny! is most notable for his critically acclaimed self-released albums Charm
Charm (album)
Charm is the critically acclaimed third studio album from American rapper/record producer Danny! and the first of his records to be released commercially...
and And I Love H.E.R.
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, also referred to as simply And I Love H.E.R., is MC/producer Danny!'s full-length follow-up to 2006's Charm. The record was released to universal acclaim, cited by ABC News and L.A. Weekly as one of the best releases of 2008...
, the latter named by ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
as one of the best 50 albums of 2008. 2010's Where Is Danny?
Where Is Danny?
Danny!'s sixth studio album, previously known to the press as Project X and later changed to Where Is Danny?, is the successor to the rapper's heralded And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack...
, despite internet leakage that hindered sales, has received universal acclaim for its cartoonish lyrical content and "lo-fi" production; in press coverage prior to its release Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
revealed that the record would be less of a departure from Danny!'s musical direction but more of a return to original form, sounding "[as] over-the-top as The Slim Shady LP
The Slim Shady LP
The Slim Shady LP is the second studio album by American rapper Eminem, released on February 23, 1999. It is his major-label debut, and was released under Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and Web Records....
a decade ago". Danny! is currently signed to Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
after being upstreamed from a six-month-long development deal
Artist development deal
An artist development deal is often the first of a recording artist's contracts with a major record label. In lieu of high royalties or other desirable rights, the label will promise to develop the skills and public profile of the artist...
.
Early life (1999 - 2001)
Danny!, the only son of military parents, moved to ColumbiaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in the late 90s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
. He attended Richland Northeast High School
Richland Northeast High School
Richland Northeast High School is a public high school in Columbia, South Carolina. Richland Northeast, often abbreviated as RNE, RNH, or RNHS, was founded in 1978 to handle the excessive population of students at Spring Valley High School. Spring Valley is now Richland Northeast's largest rival...
and began pursuing music as a hobby during his sophomore year. Shortly after selling his first beat at age 17, Danny! began to take producing music more seriously. He started penning his own lyrics—after initially being reluctant to rap—and eventually recorded makeshift songs primarily as a showcase for his production. Early Danny! songs mimicked rapper Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
's multi-syllabic shock lyrics; Danny! has openly admitted to copying Eminem's flow early on.
College years (2001 - 2004)
After graduating from high school Danny! matriculated at Claflin UniversityClaflin University
Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. Claflin University was founded in 1869 and is the oldest historically black college or university in the state of South Carolina.-History:...
, a liberal arts college located in Orangeburg, South Carolina
Orangeburg, South Carolina
Orangeburg, also known as "The Garden City," is the principal city in and the county seat of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city is also the fifth oldest city in the state of South Carolina. The city population was 12,765 at the 2000 census, within a Greater Orangeburg...
, and enrolled in the college's fledgling "Call Me Mister" program. While at Claflin, Danny! began to experiment with sampling, gradually straying from keyboard-based production. Danny! has stated that hearing a demo version of Freeway
Freeway (rapper)
Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
's "What We Do (Is Wrong)" for the very first time was the definitive point in which he decided to incorporate samples into his production.
A campus-wide grade-changing scandal halted the production of Danny!'s self-produced debut album and forced him to leave Claflin University in November 2003. Danny! was accused of orchestrating a scheme in which 300+ students' grades had been altered in exchange for money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
, and was expelled from the university.
The College Kicked-Out
After spending nearly a year rebuilding his reputation and networking with local rappers back home, Danny! released his debut album, now renamed The College Kicked-OutThe College Kicked-Out
The College Kicked-Out is the debut album from American rapper/producer Danny! . Originally slated for an October 12 release date, The College Kicked-Out finally saw the light of day on November 2 after being delayed by bootlegging....
(formerly known as The Danny Swain LP), in late 2004. The record's content would become overshadowed not by Danny!'s dubious past, but by critics who panned the effort as an amateur version of Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's own debut album, The College Dropout
The College Dropout
The College Dropout is the debut album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint , which showcased his...
. Critics felt Danny!'s style of production at the time, which heavily utilized pitch-altered vocal samples, was far too similar to West's. Artists in the Columbia area ridiculed Danny! and refused to continue to work with him, which Danny! would allude to in much of his later work.
F.O.O.D.
In early 2005, Danny! was accepted to the Savannah College of Art & Design and relocated to Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
accordingly; it was here that he began to work on his second project, F.O.O.D.
F.O.O.D.
F.O.O.D., released under Danny!'s 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint in 2005 , is the second full-length studio album from the American rapper/producer...
Highly bothered by the reception to The College Kicked-Out, he spent much of F.O.O.D. verbally attacking his detractors. Otherwise decent songs on the LP were overshadowed by the out-of-place, retaliatory tracks. Nevertheless, Danny! began to develop a moderate following—albeit primarily on the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
—and fans began to praise him for his production efforts, usage of satire and, at times, humor that ranged from quirky to self-deprecating.
Breakthrough
In March 2006 Danny! officially released his third and allegedly final record CharmCharm (album)
Charm is the critically acclaimed third studio album from American rapper/record producer Danny! and the first of his records to be released commercially...
, a concept album in which he has credited the song "Poor Charlotte" from The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
' City of Angels
City of Angels (album)
City of Angels is an album by the Motown soul group The Miracles, released on Motown Records' Tamla label in September 1975. The group's fourth album recorded after replacing lead singer Smokey Robinson with Billy Griffin in 1972, City of Angels is a concept album, depicting of a man from "Anytown,...
record as his inspiration. The album was notable for featuring an underlying theme of escapism
Escapism
Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life...
, narrating the story of a musician who wants to achieve success through music and be reprieved of the day-to-day routine in his hometown. The protagonist, which is believed to be Danny! himself, dreams that he actually becomes famous and wealthy, only to realize towards the album's closing that perhaps fame wasn't meant for everybody, particularly him. The album ends with the musician awakening from his dream, only to be approached by a label executive shortly afterwards. Lauded by a variety of music critics, Charm went on to become Danny!'s biggest success and, ironically, help make the entire premise of the album come true in real life.
Grammy Awards of 2007
The 49th Annual Grammy Awards was a ceremony honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning September 15, 2005 and ending September 14, 2006 in the United States. The awards were handed out on Sunday February 11, 2007 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dixie Chicks...
, making Danny! the first hip-hop artist from South Carolina to achieve such a feat.
Instrumental Albums
Shortly before the Grammy recognition, Danny! quietly released an instrumental album, Dream, InterruptedDream, Interrupted
Dream, Interrupted is an instrumental hip hop album by American rapper/producer Danny!, and the fourth release under Danny's personal 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint...
, abroad. A sequel, Dream, Fulfilled
Dream, Fulfilled
Danny!'s second instrumental hip hop album, Dream, Fulfilled, was released on April 23, 2007 under the American rapper/producer's 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint...
, was also released overseas in April of the following year. Both albums, which Danny! has jokingly referred to as "sensationalized beat tapes", are extremely rare; only a small number of copies exist stateside and are thus highly sought after in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Rumors of a third and final installment to complete the trilogy—Dream, Extinguished
Dream, Extinguished
Dream, Extinguished is an instrumental hip hop album by American producer/rapper Danny!. The album is the third and allegedly final installment in Danny's famed Dream... instrumental series and, like its predecessors, bears Danny's anthroponym on its cover—an ominous all-black sleeve—rather than...
—swirled for months before Danny! actually confirmed its release in the wake of And I Love H.E.R.
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, also referred to as simply And I Love H.E.R., is MC/producer Danny!'s full-length follow-up to 2006's Charm. The record was released to universal acclaim, cited by ABC News and L.A. Weekly as one of the best releases of 2008...
being delayed. However, Dream, Extinguished was abruptly withdrawn the day before its release; in June 2009, more than a year-and-a-half later, the album was finally released.
Definitive Jux
Despite his success, Danny! had long insisted that he had no plans to ever release another record commercially after Charm. However, in January 2007 Danny! finally received his big break when he received a recording contract with Definitive JuxDefinitive Jux
Definitive Jux is an independent record label based in New York City, United States. It was co-founded in 1999 by Jaime Meline and Amaechi Uzoigwe. The label was initially known simply as Def Jux, but in 2001, popular hip hop label Def Jam Recordings sued Def Jux over the name similarity...
Records by proxy. The record deal "forced" him out of "retirement" to record an album for the Def Jux label and release a 12" single
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
-- to be accompanied by a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
slated for an exclusive premiere on mtvU
MtvU
mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
-- with fellow Jukie Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif is an American hip hop artist from Boston, Massachusetts. Often noted for his political lyrics, he has released two studio albums on El-P's Definitive Jux label and one on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr...
.
The project would be mysteriously delayed for several years before a single, titled "Just Friends
Just Friends (2009 song)
"Just Friends" is a song written, produced and performed by American rapper/producer Danny!. Originally a hidden track on the Japanese version of his 2007 Danny Is Dead EP, Definitive Jux Records released the live version of "Just Friends" as a single domestically on March 10, 2009 in anticipation...
", was finally released by Definitive Jux in early 2009. Despite a glaring absence of promotion from the label the single managed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. In the years preceding "Just Friends"'s release, Danny! significantly increased his musical output and self-released a staggering six records in a year-and-a-half span, of which only two were actual studio albums (Danny Is Dead
Danny Is Dead
Danny Is Dead, the first EP and sixth release from American rapper/producer Danny!, is a half-hour long EP that was released July 17, 2007 on Danny!'s 1911 Music/Badenov Records vanity label...
and And I Love H.E.R.
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, also referred to as simply And I Love H.E.R., is MC/producer Danny!'s full-length follow-up to 2006's Charm. The record was released to universal acclaim, cited by ABC News and L.A. Weekly as one of the best releases of 2008...
). Danny! would continue to gain acclaim on his own merits, appearing on URB Magazine's website as part of their "Next 1000" campaign, as well as features from Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, Okayplayer
Okayplayer
Okayplayer.com is an online hip-hop and alternative music website and community, described by Rolling Stone as a "tastemaker" and "an antidote to dull promotional Web sites used by most artists". The group was co-founded by The Roots' drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson as a loose musical...
, Allmusic, Complex Magazine, VIBE
VIBE
Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Scratch Magazine
Scratch (magazine)
Scratch was a magazine about the art of creating hip-hop. It featured articles regarding producers, musicians and DJs that make beats for rap records, and details the secret methods, stories, partnerships, philosophies and equipment behind the music...
, Creative Loafing, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, XXL Magazine
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
, BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, Northern Express Weekly, Popmatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, The Fader
The Fader
The FADER, or FADER, is an United States-based music/culture/fashion magazine that covers hip-hop, reggae, independent rock, pop and dance music from around the world.-Overview:...
, Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
, mtvU
MtvU
mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
, Billboard, Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, L.A. Weekly and the Village Voice. The self-promotional DIY approach has since been mimicked by other underground rappers such as Mickey Factz, Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi , better known by his stage name Kid Cudi , sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the...
and Charles Hamilton
Charles Hamilton (rapper)
Charles Eddie-Lee Hamilton, Jr. is an American musician, rapper and record producer, born in Cleveland, Ohio.Mainstream popularity came from being featured on the cover of the Freshmen 09' XXL, along with Asher Roth, B.o.B and Wale...
, albeit slightly more successfully.
Present
To date the outspoken producer/rapper remains reclusive, completing Where Is Danny?Where Is Danny?
Danny!'s sixth studio album, previously known to the press as Project X and later changed to Where Is Danny?, is the successor to the rapper's heralded And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack...
in early 2010. Interscope Records would later sign the artist and quietly release the album near the middle of the following year.
Discography
Studio albums| Album | Year |
|---|---|
| The College Kicked-Out The College Kicked-Out The College Kicked-Out is the debut album from American rapper/producer Danny! . Originally slated for an October 12 release date, The College Kicked-Out finally saw the light of day on November 2 after being delayed by bootlegging.... |
2004 2004 in music See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol.... |
| F.O.O.D. F.O.O.D. F.O.O.D., released under Danny!'s 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint in 2005 , is the second full-length studio album from the American rapper/producer... |
2005 2005 in music -Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:... |
| Charm Charm (album) Charm is the critically acclaimed third studio album from American rapper/record producer Danny! and the first of his records to be released commercially... |
2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
| And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, also referred to as simply And I Love H.E.R., is MC/producer Danny!'s full-length follow-up to 2006's Charm. The record was released to universal acclaim, cited by ABC News and L.A. Weekly as one of the best releases of 2008... |
2008 2008 in music 2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such... |
| Where Is Danny? Where Is Danny? Danny!'s sixth studio album, previously known to the press as Project X and later changed to Where Is Danny?, is the successor to the rapper's heralded And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack... |
2011 |
| Payback | 2011 |
Instrumental albums
| Album | Year |
|---|---|
| Dream, Interrupted Dream, Interrupted Dream, Interrupted is an instrumental hip hop album by American rapper/producer Danny!, and the fourth release under Danny's personal 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint... |
2006 2006 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band.... |
| Dream, Fulfilled Dream, Fulfilled Danny!'s second instrumental hip hop album, Dream, Fulfilled, was released on April 23, 2007 under the American rapper/producer's 1911 Music/Badenov Records imprint... |
2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
| Dream, Extinguished Dream, Extinguished Dream, Extinguished is an instrumental hip hop album by American producer/rapper Danny!. The album is the third and allegedly final installment in Danny's famed Dream... instrumental series and, like its predecessors, bears Danny's anthroponym on its cover—an ominous all-black sleeve—rather than... |
2008 2008 in music 2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such... |
Compilations
| Album | Year |
|---|---|
| 21st Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Danny! 21st Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Danny! 21st Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Danny! is a 2007 compilation album by American rapper/producer Danny!, and the seventh self-released album on his vanity 1911 Music/Badenov Records label... |
2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
| Behind The Beats, Vol. 1 Behind the Beats, Vol. 1 Behind The Beats, Vol. 1 is the eighth independent release by American producer/rapper Danny!. It is a promotional disc consisting of snippets from twenty self-produced songs from his own discography, directly followed by a snippet from its original musical source. Behind The Beats, Vol... |
2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
| Behind The Beats, Vol. 2 Behind the Beats, Vol. 2 American rapper/producer Danny! released Behind The Beats, Vol. 2 on October 23, 2007 under his Badenov Records/1911 Music imprint. It is the second promotional album in his Behind The Beats series, which is made up of snippets from twenty songs from Danny's catalogue followed by a snippet from... |
2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
EPs
| Album | Year |
|---|---|
| Danny Is Dead Danny Is Dead Danny Is Dead, the first EP and sixth release from American rapper/producer Danny!, is a half-hour long EP that was released July 17, 2007 on Danny!'s 1911 Music/Badenov Records vanity label... |
2007 2007 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame... |
Singles
| Album | Year |
|---|---|
| "Just Friends Just Friends (2009 song) "Just Friends" is a song written, produced and performed by American rapper/producer Danny!. Originally a hidden track on the Japanese version of his 2007 Danny Is Dead EP, Definitive Jux Records released the live version of "Just Friends" as a single domestically on March 10, 2009 in anticipation... " |
2009 2009 in music The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year... |
External links
- DannySwain.com
- Cafe Surreal² (official blog)
- Wanderland (official message boards)
- Danny! on MySpace
- Danny! on [ Allmusic]
- Danny! on AOL Music
- Danny! on ARTISTdirect
- Danny! on DefinitiveJux.net
- Danny! on MTV.com
- Danny! on VH1.com